Therma-Tru Cares

AMERICA’S UGLIEST DOORS FOUND IN CHICAGO, SACRAMENTOEntryway Makeovers Set to Begin in July
MAUMEE, OH (July 11, 2005) — When the entry door experts at Therma-Tru’ Doors set out to find the ugliest doors in America, they had no idea just how many truly ugly entries graced houses across the country, tarnishing potentially attractive homes. Now, the specialists are ready to remedy the situation!

The two grand prize winners are receiving Therma-Tru entry door systems valued at approximately $3,000 to $5,000, along with a spruced up entryway that includes painted railings, decorative lights, potted plants, trimmed shrubbery and much more. Construction is set to begin in July.

Before

Grand prize winner Catherine Love of Sacramento, Calif., was selected due to her damaged and out-of-date door. Since she was unable to afford professional installation, the current replacement door was installed incorrectly. In addition, one of her dogs chewed and pawed at the doors, leaving them in bad shape.

Therma-Tru Style Solution
Later this summer, Love will be receiving a 6'8" door from the Classic-Craft® Mahogany Collection™ with Sedona sidelites, a multi-point locking system and framesaver™, a moisture- and insect-proof frame. This door offers the beauty, look and feel of an authentic wood door with the performance benefits of fiberglass. The Mahogany door system is more than just a beautiful door — it delivers thermal performance and lasting durability that won’t crack, rot or split like real wood.
Before

Second place winners Mark and Susan Healy from Chicago even stumped our own building experts with their ugly door. Their front door is covered with gold and white patterned material used as floor or wall tile in the 1970s. In addition to the covering, the bottom of the door is peeling away. This home really needs some help!

The Healy’s couldn’t be happier with their soon-to-be installed Classic-Craft® Oak door with Cambridge — glass, walnut finish, a multi-point locking system and framesaver. Developed by the R&D engineers at Therma-Tru’s Advanced Technology Center using the company’s unique and proprietary AccuGrain™ technology for the Classic-Craft product line, the Oak style door system is more than just a pretty face — it is equipped with the exceptional performance of Therma-Tru fiberglass. The door is set to be installed on July 15.

"It’s amazing how much difference an entry door makes to the overall look of the home," said Hal Gardner, Vice President of Marketing, Therma-Tru Doors. "We’re looking forward to seeing these homes emerge with their new entry systems."

In the national "Ugly Door Contest," Therma-Tru along with the Carey Brothers, hosts of "On the House" home improvement radio show, invited homeowners to submit a photo and essay declaring why they deserved a new entryway from Therma-Tru.

An elite panel of expert judges from around the home improvement industry, comprised of Morris Carey and James Carey (the Carey Brothers); Paul DiMeo, designer on ABC’s "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition;" Barbara Winfield, senior editor of Woman’s Day Home Remodeling; Stephanie Herzfeld, assistant editor, Building Products Magazine; and John Kufner, Product Line General Manager, Entry Door Systems, for Therma-Tru, judged nearly 200 qualified entries. They found double doors painted hot pink, single doors that were stuck in the ’60s and everything in between.

Recent research by Therma-Tru and NFO Worldwide found that replacing an old entry door with a new fiberglass entry system increases the perceived value of a home by as much as $24,000 — up to six percent of the home’s value.

About Therma-Tru
Therma-Tru Doors is the nation's leading manufacturer and most preferred brand of fiberglass and steel exterior door systems. Founded in 1962, Therma-Tru pioneered the fiberglass entry door industry, and today offers a complete portfolio of entry and patio door system solutions, including decorative glass doorlites, sidelites and transoms, and door components. Therma-Tru, headquartered in Maumee, Ohio, is part of leading consumer brands company Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE: FO). For more information on Therma-Tru Doors, visit www.thermatru.com or call (800)537-8827.